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Cytokine Variations And Mood Disorders: Influence Of Social Stressors And Social Support, Marie-Claude Audet, Robyn J. Mcquaid, Zul Merali, Hymie Anisman

Brain and Mind Institute

Stressful events have been implicated in the evolution of mood disorders. In addition to brain neurotransmitters and growth factors, the view has been offered that these disorders might be provoked by the activation of the inflammatory immune system as well as by de novo changes of inflammatory cytokines within the brain. The present review describes the impact of social stressors in animals and in humans on behavioral changes reminiscent of depressive states as well as on cytokine functioning. Social stressors increase pro-inflammatory cytokines in circulation as well as in brain regions that have been associated with depression, varying with the …